| 250px | |
| Location | Agawam, Massachusetts |
| Time Zone | UTC -5/-4 (DST) |
| Capacity | 7,500 (grandstands) |
| Opened | 1949 |
| Closed | 1999 |
| Major Events | World Stock Car Championship The Turkey Bowl Round of Agawam |
| Oval | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Distance | 0.250 mi (0.400 km) |
| Turns | 4 |
| Banking | Turns: 11° |
Riverside Park Speedway
Riverside Park Speedway was a quarter-mile short track located inside of Riverside Amusement Park in Agawam, Massachusetts along the Connecticut River.
History[edit | edit source]
The speedway was built in 1948 on the site of a destroyed dance hall in order to capitalize on the surging popularity of auto racing following World War II. The first full season of racing was in 1949, and the track quickly exploded in popularity, drawing 6,000 to 8,000 fans every Saturday night. The World Stock Car Championship would stop here annually during the 50's and 60's, beginning with its inaugural season.
The track closed at the end of the 1999 season following the purchase of the park by Six Flags; when the park reopened in 2000, the track was fully-replaced by a DC Comics-themed section of the park.
Notable Races[edit | edit source]
The Turkey Bowl[edit | edit source]
The Turkey Bowl was a race held annually every year during the track's operation, held the weekend prior to Thanksgiving. From 1950 until 1967 it served as the season finale race for the World Stock Car Championship.
The Last Turkey Bowl[edit | edit source]
On November 21, 1999, the track held "The Last Turkey Bowl", its final race day before being torn down. Organizers arranged a massive showcase of events, with everything from midget and sprint cars to classic race cars running the quarter-mile oval. Notably, former World Stock Car Championship and multiple championship-winning team owner Amos Thompson was the grand marshall for the event.